Episode 480

Episode 480

“…I’m sorry, everyone. It wasn’t intentional.”

Professor Thunderstep apologized sincerely.

Of course, the Einrogard students were not so naive as to accept an apology just because it was sincere.

It was all thanks to their devoted study of Einrogard’s teachings.

“Do you think this is something you can just apologize for and let slide?!”

“That’s right! Professor, are you sure you didn’t pocket the money?!”

“Y-you brats…”

Professor Thunderstep looked flustered as he glanced at the members of the Meikin family.

If it were inside the school, it wouldn’t have mattered, but outside he couldn’t ignore his reputation.

If a strange misunderstanding led to a rumor like ‘Professor Thunderstep of Einrogard took the students’ silver coins’ and it got to the skeleton principal’s ears…

“Do you really think I would do something like that!? As you saw, I didn’t go into the village either. I didn’t even have the chance to take the silver coins!”

“Then why did you stay outside!”

“Because those are the original rules, that’s why!”

The members of the Meikin family, watching the pathetic quarrel between Professor Thunderstep and the students, appeared flustered.

“Uh, friends from Einrogard. Please calm down.”

“That’s right. The fault is ours for not making it clear. We should have said explicitly which village to rest in if you were to rest along the way.”

“…Let’s return to talking about the work.”

Professor Thunderstep cleared his throat.

The members of the Meikin family nodded and quickly explained the situation.

“The hunters from the north arrived a week ago and have already started hunting. They’re really fast!”

“We thought that, because of the name Shadow Patrol, they wouldn’t leave the north, but we were surprised at how readily they accepted. We’re truly grateful.”

As a member of the Meikin family greeted Nillia, Professor Thunderstep tilted his head.

“What’s so thankful?”

“They mean thank you for flying over quickly.”

Lee Han answered without blinking an eye.

“But a while ago, they already thanked….”

“So, what problems remain as of now?”

“Ah. You’re from the Wardanaz family?”

“That’s right. Did we meet last vacation?”

“No. Lord Yoanen Meikin told a few stories about you. Said you were the kind of talent they really wanted to hire at the workshop.”

“Oh. Did they mention the conditions as well?”

At the witty joke from the Wardanaz family boy, the Meikin family members burst out laughing.

As everyone just laughed, Lee Han quietly pressed again.

“So, what are the conditions…”

Yoner tugged at Lee Han’s sleeve and shook his head.

Professor Thunderstep took notes as the Meikin family members spoke.

“It’s good to hear the hunting is progressing quickly. In that case, what do we need to do on our side…?”

“First, please confirm the location of the Sangoria flowers. There’s been no harvest for a long time, and with the havoc caused by monsters and spirits, a new map is needed.”

Professor Thunderstep stroked his beard, signaling he understood.

“Currently, stocks of Sangoria flowers are piling up in the warehouses of nearby alchemy and fisher guilds, but because the chaos has been prolonged, we can’t trust the quality. We want an outstanding and credible alchemist to set new standards and sort the stockpile.”

The students behind them sighed shallowly.

Just hearing it, it felt like their to-do list was growing.

Who would do all that sorting?

“Understood. What else?”

“With so much friction lately, conflict is escalating both between guilds and between the guilds and residents. Please help mediate these disputes.”

Professor Thunderstep flipped over a densely written page.

“The hunters from the Shadow Patrol are performing outstandingly, but since their numbers are limited, they can’t just fight indiscriminately. After identifying the sea routes and locations, please specify only the monsters that need to be defeated. We’ll drive out the rest by other means than hunting.”

“If you don’t mind, could you also teach us how to collect the Sangoria flowers? We have fewer experienced fishers, so there are quite a few inexperienced people.”

‘So that’s why they pay so much gold.’

Lee Han felt overwhelmed by the list of tightly packed tasks.

Gold coins really aren’t so easy to earn!

“Wait. Professor.”

As he calculated, Lee Han suddenly asked a question he couldn’t understand.

“Can we finish all this work in the remaining days?”

“That’s a foolish question.”

Professor Thunderstep lit his pipe and exhaled.

“It’s not like we have a choice but to finish it anyway.”

“……”

• * *

It was no joke.

As soon as the conversation ended, Professor Thunderstep started working the students like madmen.

“This is the west gate, the pride of Isran City. The gate is made of blue jade, and there’s a romantic legend that it was made with the tears of mermaids…”

“You can spare the stories. Just show us the lodgings for the students.”

“Uh. The Quadma family, one of the city’s noble houses, has lent a mansion. The mansion is on a hill, and from its front gate, you can see one of Isran City’s proudest features, the Street of Water Sculptures…”

“No need for explanations. We won’t have time to go out anyway. Just bring the tools I’m about to mention. We’re going straight to the workshop.”

At Professor Thunderstep’s words, the servants were flustered.

“But meals have been prepared in the mansion…”

“Just pack up only the meals we can eat conveniently and bring them to the workshop.”

“……”

“……”

The students gazed gloomily at Isran City.

A moment ago, the southern city had looked so beautiful; now it suddenly seemed drab.

“Everyone, take a seat. I’m going to show you how to sort the quality of Sangoria flowers. First, the color of the leaves…”

A skilled alchemist had a tenacity that missed not a single detail.

Once at work, Professor Thunderstep drove the students relentlessly, not letting them even catch their breath.

“I said it was a pale red! This is a deep red, isn’t it!”

“How could you miss the traces of bug bites on the stem!”

“Is this the time to cram a piece of bread in your mouth? I told you you’d have time to eat later!”

‘He said the same thing an hour ago.’

Lee Han thought to himself as his hands moved.

The students looked exhausted, but fortunately, the pace was quick.

Thanks to the harsh criticisms, the students who began to get a feel for the work started to sort the flowers accurately.

“This should do. Alchemy ranks 5 to 10, follow me.”

Professor Thunderstep didn’t pause as he issued the next instructions and got up from his seat.

The students singled out by the professor stood up with confused expressions.

“Where are we going?”

“Maybe to rest…?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. You’re going to learn how to collect the flowers. You need to learn so you can teach the gatherers and adventurers.”

“……”

“……”

Professor, having taken the unfortunate students out, soon returned.

“Alchemy ranks 2 to 4, follow me. I’ll give you old gathering maps and sea routes; memorize them in your head. We’ll need to draw new maps.”

“……”

“……”

Watching Professor Thunderstep leave, Lee Han felt puzzled.

‘Wait. Why me?’

Shouldn’t I have gone out when we went to make the map just now?

The returning Professor Thunderstep answered Lee Han’s question right away.

“Wardanaz. You’re coming with me to confirm the Sangoria flower locations.”

“…No way…!”

• * *

Lee Han walked to the harbor with the professors, wearing a sour expression.

While working earlier he had thought, ‘I’d like to get some fresh air,’ but this wasn’t what he had wanted.

“To confirm the location of the Sangoria flowers… we’re going out to sea?”

“That’s right. We’ll set out on a boat. Don’t worry too much. At this level, there isn’t much danger.”

“…Then can’t I stay inside?”

At Lee Han’s words, Professor Voladi shook his head.

“This is a good opportunity.”

“!”

Lee Han realized why Professor Thunderstep had brought him out.

Could it be…

‘Was it him who suggested bringing me out?’

Thinking back, even though Professor Thunderstep worked the students hard, he didn’t really have a habit of taking students who did well inside out just to make them experience thrills.

Having realized the truth, Lee Han looked at Professor Voladi with an expression mixed with shock and fear.

‘There really isn’t anyone you can trust in this world!’

They mess with you inside Einrogard, and even outside…

“Oh. Are you wizards?”

At the harbor, there were people dressed very differently from the sailors.

Anyone could tell by their appearance that they were northern hunters.

They were the Shadow Patrol.

“That’s right. You must have worked hard.”

“No… Well… There wasn’t much to do in the mountains anyway, so this is good. The pay is generous, and the support is plentiful…”

“Honestly, you don’t get to use such expensive arrows in the mountains. When else would you get to use things like this?”

The hunters were very satisfied with the generous support from the Meikin family.

Each arrow was enchanted, or potions were distributed generously right before battle.

All of it was a wealth unseen in the cold northern mountains.

“Can we keep any of these magic arrows if there are leftovers?”

“Hey now. Don’t say things like that, there’s professional courtesy.”

“What courtesy… I remember seeing you pick up used arrows last time.”

‘Thank goodness Nillia didn’t come.’

Lee Han thought he was fortunate Nillia hadn’t come.

If Nillia had, he might have been so embarrassed he’d have jumped into the sea.

While chatting about what they’d caught on the boat, one of the hunters suddenly clapped and spoke.

“Oh, professor. There’s something we wanted to ask.”

“Go ahead, ask.”

Professor Thunderstep wondered what they wanted to talk about.

“Uh… Among the students, isn’t there someone from our Shadow Patrol? Was it, Nelia?”

“Nollea, you idiot, dumber than this crow.”

“People get confused! He’s from the east sector, not ours, so I mixed it up!”

Lee Han quietly answered.

“It’s Nillia.”

“Ah. Right. Nillia! That’s it, Nillia!”

“Is Nillia doing well?”

The Shadow Patrol hunters tried their hardest to sound uninterested, but their eyes blazed with the desire for praise.

Having a Shadow Patrol alum enter Einrogard was a big source of pride for the hunters, even if they didn’t show it.

“Uh… she’s an excellent student.”

Professor Lightningstep, sensing their feelings, gave the answer they wanted.

“She’s in the top ten in alchemy lectures.”

“Ooh…!”

“Impressive!”

The hunters expressed admiration.

To be honest, the hunters hadn’t expected much from Nillia’s grades.

While others went from studying in the city, Nillia went from shooting bows in the mountains, so how could she have an advantage?

Yet, to hear such an answer!

“What about her relationships with her peers?”

“Uh… it’s better if Wardanaz here answers that. Wardanaz, tell them.”

‘Cowardly, pushing it onto me.’

Lee Han cursed the professor inwardly and opened his mouth.

“Nillia is very popular at the tower.”

“Ooh…!”

“I told you. She’s more sociable than us, so I knew she’d fit in well.”

“When she comes back, I’ll have to ask how to make friends outside. Whenever I go to the village, people just run away.”

“Probably because you go down covered in blood.”

With the hunters reacting well, Lee Han added a bit more.

“Not only the Black Turtle Tower students but also the Blue Dragon Tower students like Nillia very much. Last vacation, she spent time as a guest of the Meikin family, and they were so touched that they asked her to stay longer…”

“……”

“……”

The hunters listened blankly, then smiled.

“This wizard must be trying to make us feel good with stories like that!”

“Thanks, but still, isn’t that kind of joke a bit much!”

“Hahahahaha!”

“……”

Lee Han suddenly felt sorry for Nillia, whose good deeds had become false tales.